


The Mystery In Innocence

by maybe_imgoing_home



Category: Wonder Boys (2000), Wonder Boys - Michael Chabon
Genre: I wanna use this account more, Is this fandom even still around, M/M, Why are all my fics so short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:08:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybe_imgoing_home/pseuds/maybe_imgoing_home
Summary: Terry's never been the type for love. Who needs it? When he met James, however, he started to reconsider.My take on what might've happened before Grady walked in on them the morning after.
Relationships: Terry Crabtree/James Leer
Kudos: 10





	The Mystery In Innocence

The quiet of the night had finally hit Terry Crabtree. All the party-goers were gone, leaving the house eerily still. The kidnapping was over; he and James had settled down. Crabtree was gently caressing along his spine. In the back of his mind, Crabtree knew things were going to go to shit soon, but did he really care? He had successfully kidnapped and seduced a dog murderer; whatever the consequences were, he had fun along the way. James stirred besides him, his heavy-lidded eyes gazed up to meet Crabtree’s own. 

Crabtree felt a hitch in his chest that he had rarely felt before. Something about his wondrous blue gaze awakened something in him. He couldn’t deny that there was something different about James. Maybe it was his innocence mixed with his darkness, or his mysteriousness paired with how oblivious he was to the world. Were those all the same thing? Crabtree couldn’t tell. Whatever it was, he felt a desire to  _ keep _ James. Not just for the fun of it, but James  _ meant  _ something to him. It had been so long since he had felt that, he needed to hold it tight.

“It’s time to go to bed, what are you doing up?” Terry gently teased, brushing hair off his lover’s face.

“I guess I just wanted to look at you,” James replied pleasantly. Terry had to stop himself from grinning at how unadorned James was in his speech.

“You’re funny. You write these dark, twisted stories with poetic passages, but then say stuff like that.” Terry scoffed.

“Sometimes the world doesn’t need poetry,” James yawned, burying his head in Terry’s side.

Terry thought for a moment. “Jimmy, I know Grady’s stressed about the whole ‘leaving a dead dog in your bed’ thing, but, I think we’ll figure it out.”

James sighed, “I almost forgot about that, thanks.”

Terry chuckled, “We’ll just tell them that you’re  _ very sorry _ for killing Walter Gaskell’s dog and you won’t do it again.”

James snorted, making Terry smile, “That’ll work  _ for sure _ , thanks Terry.”

Terry’s laughing trailed off. He thought again, “You know, Jimmy, even if Grady paints me as some unattached douche going from bed to bed, I don’t feel that way now.”

James cocked an eyebrow, “Then what do you feel?”

“Well, obviously we haven’t known each other long, but I don’t want to just skip town and leave you. I guess.. I want to work something out,” Terry cringed, he wasn’t used to being sentimental.

James blinked in surprise, but the corner of his mouth twinged with a smile. “I wasn’t really expecting that, but… I’d like that too.” 

Terry let out a relieved sigh. James pulled himself up to kiss the older man. Terry still revelled in his soft touch. The feeling was back, and again, stronger than ever. Terry cupped James’ face and smiled.

“Well, maybe as a symbol of  _ us _ , you’ll let me read your book?” Terry joked.

James rolled his eyes, blushing a bit. “I mean, I’ll need an editor sometime. It’s pretty personal, though…”

“Which is exactly why I should be reading it,” Terry gave James a peck and reached into James’ knapsack under the bed.

James obliged, but soon drifted off to sleep. Crabtree didn’t really  _ need _ to read it now, so he set it aside for morning. He cuddled up next to James, feeling his soft skin against his body. He wasn’t really sure what love,  _ real love _ felt like anymore, but something told him it would start with James. As he fell into a sleep he got one more good look at James’ sleeping face, his lips parted and hair covering a lot of his features. Maybe, just maybe, Crabtree had made the right decision. 


End file.
